Detective L Episode 18 Recap
> Detective L Recap
During an interrogation, Lin Zhong Heng defiantly proclaimed his innocence, pleading with Luo Fei not to distress his wife, Wang Xue Ru, as she was "pathetic." Sha Wei, the detective, expressed his concern to Luo Fei, questioning if they had apprehended the wrong person given Lin Zhong Heng's stubbornness and emotional plea.
Luo Fei, however, stood by his initial deduction, asserting that after thorough checks of all suspicious individuals at East Shanghai University, Lin Zhong Heng remained the primary suspect, and he believed Lin Zhong Heng's composure was merely a facade. Their discussion was abruptly interrupted when Benjamin rushed in, reporting that another female body had been discovered in the public concession, east of the town, that morning. She had also died of suffocation. Authorities wished to merge the investigations.
The victim was identified as a missing female student from National East Shanghai University. This news shocked Luo Fei, as it meant his previous theories were flawed; Lin Zhong Heng and Wang Xue Ru had been in police custody overnight, providing them with an undeniable alibi. Sha Wei pointed out that the same distinctive pendant found on previous victims was also at the new crime scene.
Qin Xiaoman wondered if it was an imitation, but Sha Wei dismissed this, explaining that only the true killer would know such specific details as the victim being whipped post-mortem. Overwhelmed, Luo Fei secluded himself for two days, refusing food or water, convinced, "All my speculations are wrong. It was wrong from the beginning."
His landlady and Qin Xiaoman worried deeply, though both expressed unwavering faith in his deductive abilities, with the landlady even suggesting someone might be trying to frame him. One day, Qin Xiaoman encountered Wang Xue Ru at the market. Observing her arguing loudly, Qin Xiaoman intervened to help, only to find Wang Xue Ru's demeanor starkly different from before. The woman introduced herself as An Ping and claimed no knowledge of Wang Xue Ru or Qin Xiaoman.
Qin Xiaoman relayed this unusual encounter to a still-despondent Luo Fei, proposing they consult Huo Wen Si, the renowned psychologist, who was currently incarcerated. Luo Fei initially refused, suspicious that Huo Wen Si, despite his wealth, had secretly kept a stash of diamonds, believing he was still withholding information. However, Qin Xiaoman persuaded him, emphasizing the urgency of solving the case to prevent more victims.
At the prison, Huo Wen Si listened attentively to Qin Xiaoman's account of Wang Xue Ru's altered personality. He suggested that Wang Xue Ru might be suffering from a personality disorder, where two distinct personalities, Wang Xue Ru and An Ping, coexisted, each unaware of the other. He advised them to stimulate Wang Xue Ru to bring out the An Ping personality, as An Ping might possess crucial memories unknown to Wang Xue Ru.
Though Luo Fei was reluctant to put Wang Xue Ru through more distress, Huo Wen Si insisted that uncovering these memories was key to solving the mystery and ultimately helping Wang Xue Ru herself. He suggested Qin Xiaoman subtly re-engage with her. Following Huo Wen Si's advice, Qin Xiaoman found An Ping at the market again and invited her for coffee.
An Ping spoke of living in a large house with many friends, and when asked about her husband, described him as "wicked." Later, Qin Xiaoman urgently called Luo Fei, claiming she was close to finding evidence of the murder and asking him to meet her at the police station. However, when Luo Fei arrived, Qin Xiaoman was nowhere to be found. Moments later, a call came through, which Luo Fei answered.
The caller, the killer, offered a deal: Qin Xiaoman's life in exchange for Luo Fei ceasing his investigation. Luo Fei, however, strategically hung up the phone multiple times, deliberately frustrating the killer to gain leverage in their negotiation. When the killer finally called back, Luo Fei counter-offered to solve one of the killer's unresolved cases if Qin Xiaoman was returned unharmed, emphasizing that he would not tolerate her being treated as Wang Xue Ru had been.
Meanwhile, Qin Xiaoman regained consciousness on a boat, her suspicions confirmed when she realized her captor was Lin Zhong Heng. He informed her that Luo Fei had compromised for her safety but that he would not save her, intending to let her perish as the boat sank. Facing death, Qin Xiaoman demanded to know his motives.
Lin Zhong Heng revealed a tragic past: his father, a circus clown, died in an accident when he was five, but the audience laughed, believing it was part of the act. This callous response fueled a deep-seated hatred in him and his mother. He admitted that his mother was the first to commit similar "tickle torture" murders against the audience members. Back on shore, Luo Fei and Benjamin confronted Wang Xue Ru at her home.
Despite her initial denial of knowing anyone named An Ping, Luo Fei provocatively splashed alcohol on her, recalling Huo Wen Si's explanation that such stimulation could trigger a personality switch. An Ping emerged, immediately asking about Qin Xiaoman. She recounted her coffee shop conversation with Qin Xiaoman, remembering that she complained about her husband, Lin Zhong Heng, frequently changing his belts—an observation that led Qin Xiaoman to suspect the belts were the murder weapon.
An Ping said she had taken Qin Xiaoman home to show her the belts upstairs. She then vaguely recalled a door chiming before losing consciousness and waking up to find Luo Fei and Benjamin. Benjamin noted the numerous needle marks on An Ping's arm, confirming she had been drugged with sedatives, quantities of which were found at Lin Zhong Heng's house. Luo Fei then asked An Ping if anyone visited her regularly.
She mentioned a Dr. Han Ning Sheng, a doctor who frequently called on her but couldn't explain how they knew each other. Luo Fei quickly pieced together the puzzle, deducing that Han Ning Sheng was Lin Zhong Heng's accomplice, especially since neither man had ever mentioned the other over the five years, despite their connections to Wang Xue Ru/An Ping.
He also reasoned that Han Ning Sheng might be responsible for the consistent whipping pattern found on the victims, a detail the killer used to mark their crimes. Luo Fei immediately contacted Sha Wei to arrest Han Ning Sheng. During interrogation, Luo Fei attempted to coerce Han Ning Sheng into revealing Qin Xiaoman's location by offering him a chance to see An Ping again.
However, when efforts to re-stimulate Wang Xue Ru to bring out An Ping failed, Luo Fei pleaded with Wang Xue Ru to impersonate An Ping. Initially hesitant, Wang Xue Ru agreed, but her act was quickly exposed by Han Ning Sheng, who recognized that the real An Ping would never plead with him, only command. Nevertheless, Luo Fei's continued pressure on Han Ning Sheng, suggesting An Ping was too disappointed to appear, ultimately broke him.
Han Ning Sheng disclosed Qin Xiaoman's location, leading to a swift rescue operation by the Coast Guard and Maritime Department, with Luo Fei personally leading the team to save Qin Xiaoman. Days later, with Lin Zhong Heng apprehended in Suzhou, Luo Fei remained troubled by a seemingly minor detail. During her impersonation of An Ping, Wang Xue Ru had called Han Ning Sheng "Ah Sheng"—a nickname unknown to anyone else, including the investigators.
Remembering Huo Wen Si's earlier explanation about distinct memories in true dual personalities, Luo Fei confronted Wang Xue Ru. He accused her of faking her personality disorder, revealing his belief that "Wang Xue Ru" and "An Ping" were merely parts of a meticulously staged monologue. Cornered, Wang Xue Ru confessed.
She admitted that the childhood story shared by both Lin Zhong Heng and Han Ning Sheng was actually her own traumatic past, starting with her mother accidentally killing her boss after being assaulted while seeking compensation for her father's death. Her mother, finding the act "exciting," became the first killer, sending young Wang Xue Ru away to live a normal life.
Wang Xue Ru, however, manipulated Lin Zhong Heng and Han Ning Sheng, who were drawn to her vulnerability, turning them into her puppets by recounting her tragic story and convincing them to commit murders. She also revealed that the five-year-old serial murder case was orchestrated by her previous lovers, whom she had similarly manipulated, and she had staged herself as the fifth victim to evade detection and gain sympathy.
Luo Fei, refusing her final attempt at a deal, handed Wang Xue Ru over to Sha Wei. Still, a chilling detail lingered: the existence of Wang Xue Ru's mother, a proven killer from her past. Luo Fei resolved to find her, and it was shockingly revealed that Wang Xue Ru's mother was none other than Detective Ouyang's wife. Separately, Huo Wen Si, now imprisoned alongside a mysterious figure known as "Captain," offered to investigate Captain's syndicate for Luo Fei. However, Luo Fei remained wary, sensing an ulterior motive behind Huo Wen Si's sudden offer of cooperation.
